1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a die for use in textile processes involving nonwoven melt blown fabrics. In a melt blown process, molten polymer resin is injected into a melt blown die and ejected from the die in the form of filaments. The present invention is directed to an improved die nosepiece comprising a multiplicity of adjacent holes offset with respect to each other at an angle greater than or equal to 5.degree. and less than 90.degree. through which resin filaments are ejected.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art nosepieces for the die used in the melt blowing processes comprise a multiplicity of parallel adjacent holes. Because these holes are parallel, the resin filaments tend to be ejected from the holes in the same direction, causing filament to filament interactions, thereby resulting in shot formation. "Shot" is an imperfection found in meltblown webs which consist of a mass of polymer, often disk like, which has not been drawn to a diameter, similar to the diameter of surrounding fibers. The present invention provides a nosepiece that results in increased filament separation and draw-down, thereby resulting in reduced shot.